Chapter 1 - Constitutional Democracy

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Democracy

Back 1

Government by the people, both directly or indirectly, with free and frequent elections.

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Direct Democracy

Back 2

Government in which citizens vote on laws and select officials directly.

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Direct Primary

Back 3

An election in which voters choose party nominees.

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Initiative

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A procedure whereby a certain number of voters may, by petition, propose a law or constitutional amendment and have it submitted to the voters.

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Referrendum

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Procedure for submitting to popular vote measures passed by the legislature or proposed amendments to a state constitution.

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Recall

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A procedure for submitting to popular vote the removal of officials from office before the end of their term.

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Representative Democracy (AKA Republic)

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Government in which the people elect those who govern and pass laws.

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Constitutional Democracy

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Government that enforces recognized limits on those who govern and allows the voice of the people to be heard through free, fair, and relatively frequent elections.

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Constitutionalism

Back 9

The set of arrangements, including checks and balances, federalism, separation of powers, rule of law, due process, and a bill of rights, that requires our leaders to listen, think, bargain, and explain before they act or make laws. We then hold them politically and legally accountable for how they exercise their powers.

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Natural rights

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The rights of all people to dignity and worth.

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Political culture

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The widely shared beliefs, values, and norms citizens hold about their relationship to government and to one another.

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Statism

Back 12

The idea that the rights of the nation are supreme over the rights of the individuals who make up the nation.

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American Dream

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A complex set of ideas that holds that the united states is a land of opportunity where individual initiative and hard work can bring economic success.

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Capitalism

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An economic system based on private property, competitive markets, economic incentives, and limited government involvement in the production, pricing and distribution of goods and services.

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Popular Consent

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The idea that a just government must derive its powers from the consent of the people it governs.

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Majority rule

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Governance according to the expressed preferences of the majority.

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Majority

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The candidate or party that wins more than half the votes cast in an election.

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Plurality

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The candidate or party with the most votes cast in an election, not necessarily more than half.

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Democratic Consensus

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A condition for democracy is that the people widely share a set of attitudes and beliefs about governmental procedures, institutions, core documents and fundamental values.

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Constitutional Convention

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The convention in Philadelphia, from May 25 to September 17, 1787, that debated and agreed on the constitution of the United States.

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Shays' Rebellion

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A rebellion led by Daniel Shays of farmers in western Massachusetts in 1786-1787 protesting mortgage foreclosure. It highlighted the need for a strong national government just as the call for the Constitutional Convention went out.

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Bicameralism

Back 22

The principle of a two-house legislature.

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Virginia Plan

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The initial proposal at the Constitutional Convention made by the Virginia delegation for a strong central government with a bicameral legislature dominated by the big states.

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New Jersey Plan

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The proposal at the Constitutional Convention Made by William Paterson of New Jersey for a central government with a single-house legislature in which each state would be represented equally.

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Connecticut Compromise

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The compromise agreement by states at the constitutional convention for a bicameral legislature with lower house in which representation would be based on population and an upper house in which each state would have two senators.

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Three-fifths compromise

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The compromise between northern and southern states at the constitutional convention that three-fifths of the slave population would be counted for determining direct taxation and representation in the House of Representatives.

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Electoral College

Back 27

The electoral system used in electing the president and vice president, in which voters vote for electors pledged to cast their ballots for a particular party's candidates.

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Federalists

Back 28

Supporters of ratification of the constitution and of a strong central government.

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Antifederalist

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Opponents of ratification of the Constitution and of a strong central government generally.

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The Federalist

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Essays promoting ratification of the constitution, published anonymously by Alexander Hamilton, John Jay, and James Madison in 1787 and 1788.

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Natural Law

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God's or nature's law that defines right from wrong and is higher than human law.

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Separation of powers

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Constitutional division of powers among the legislative, executive, and judicial branches, with the legislative branch making law, the executive applying and enforcing the law, and the judiciary interpreting the law.

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Checks and balances

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A constitutional grant of powers that enables each of the three branches of government to check some acts of the others and therefore ensures that no branch can dominate.

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Autocracy

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A type of government in which one person with unlimited power rules.

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Judicial review

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The power of a court to review laws or governmental reguations to determine whether they are consistent with the U.S. Constitution, or in a state court, the state constitution.

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Writ of Mandamus

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A court order directing an official to perform an official duty.

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Congressional elaboration

Back 37

Congressional legislation that gives further meaning to the constitution based on sometimes vague constitutional authority, such as the necessary and proper clause.

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Impeachment

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A formal accusation by the lower house of a legislature against a public official; The first step in removal from office.

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Originalist approach

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An approach to constitutional interpretation that envisions the document as having a fixed meaning that might be determined by a strict reading of the text or the Framers' intent.

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Adaptive approach

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A method used to interpret the constitution that understands the document to be flexible and responsive to the changing needs of the times.

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Executive order

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A directive issued by a president or governor that has the force of law.

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Executive privilege

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The power to keep executive communications confidential, especially if they relate to national security.

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Impoundment

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Presidential refusal to allow an agency to spend funds that congress authorized and appropriated.